The Myth of Atlas

In Greek mythology, Atlas was a son of the Titan, Iapetus, and the Oceanid, Clymene, who were also parents to Menoetius, Prometheus and Epimethus. He had seven daughters by his wife, Pleione, who were called by the common name, Pleides; and seven more by his wife, Aethra, called the Hyades (both the Pleides and Hyades are celestial constellations) – although Pleione and Aethra are often considered one and the same – whilst Hesperius is supposed to have also been the mother of Atlas’ Hesperides.

Atlas, along with Menoetius, was involved in the revolt against the Olympians, and when the Titans were defeated his punishment was to hold up the sky (or the Heavens) to separate it from the Earth. He became commonplace on the front of world map books, thus the name ‘Atlas’ became the title of these books, however this resulted in a misconception that Atlas holds up the globe, when in actuality, he supports the celestial sphere.

He was further punished for his inhospitality to Perseus, who, according to Ovid, used Medusa’s head to turn him into stone and make him into the mountain range in North Africa that bears his name. (This doesn’t correlate with the tales of his encounter with Heracles but in mythology anything’s possible.)

Atlas the baleful; he knows the depths of all the seas, and he, no other, guards (or holds) the tall pillars that keep the sky and earth apart.

– Homer, The Odyessy. (Translated by Walter Shewring)

…and turned his face away and on his left held out the loathsome head, Medusa’s head. Atlas, so huge, became a mountain; beard and hair were changed to forests, shoulders were cliffs, hands ridges; where his head had lately been, the soaring summit rose; his bones were turned to stone. Then each part grew beyond all measure (so the gods ordained) and on his shoulders rested the whole vault of heaven with all the innumerable stars.

– Ovid, Metamorphoses. (Translated by A. D. Melville)

The Myth of Arethusa

Arethusa (Αρεθουσα) was a Nereid (a sea nymph and daughter of the Titan Nereus) and follower of Artemis, and is said to have been bathing in a clear spring – not realising it was the river god Alpheus – when he became enamoured, fell in love with her and began to pursue her. She fled, but couldn’t outrun a god, particularly one that cut as a river; a river that could run longer than any mortal. Eventually she prayed to Artemis for protection, who transformed her into a cloud. Alpheus was persistent and Arethusa perspired from fear so much that she turned to steam, so Artemis cut the ground and changed Arethusa into a spring, who then travelled underground all the way from Greece to Sicily. Alpheus followed her, however, flowing through the sea to reach her, and their waters mingled eternally in the Fountain of Arethusa. Today there is still a connection between the river Alpheius (Alfeiós River) and Arethusa’s spring that bubbles forth on land sacred to Artemis. Greek flowers can sometimes be seen at the spring, and it is possible if something is thrown in the river, it will reappear in the spring. Roman writer, Ovid, called Arethusa “Alpheias”, in reference to this connection.

It is also said the Arethusa entreated Demeter to halt her punishment of the island of Sicily for Persephone’s disappearance, as during her subterranean travelling she saw Persephone’s sorrow in the underworld.

Syracusan coins often depicted the head of Arethusa surrounded by dolphins, as Arethusa is the patron nymph of Syracuse (as shown above), and these are arguably some of the most beautiful coins minted by the ancient Greeks.

Virgil refers to Arethusa is his epic Aeneid;

Right o’er against Plemmyrium’s wat’ry strand,
There lies an isle once call’d th’ Ortygian land.
Alpheus, as old fame reports, has found
From Greece a secret passage under ground,
By love to beauteous Arethusa led;
And, mingling here, they roll in the same sacred bed.

(Translation by John Dryden).